April is World Earth Month and the sustainability of preserving our planet is imperative. Alliance Environmental Group and our subsidiary companies, take pride in ensuring best practices are followed when any environmental remediation or indoor air quality services are performed. We believe in using products that are environmentally friendly and performing tasks that require a lesser carbon footprint.
In this issue of our newsletter, we include information and guidelines for businesses, facilities, workplaces and schools that are planning to reopen and safely allow staff, students, employees and guests back. We then discuss the need for ensuring a safe environment in hospitals and mitigating the risk for fire breakouts. Following on that, we focus on the importance of commercial air duct cleaning. Finally, we provide insight into the need for facilities in the healthcare sector to be better prepared for pandemic scenarios that may require increased patient capacities.
We are excited to announce that last month, Airtek Indoor Air Solutions was recognized by the National Air Duct Cleaning Association (NADCA) by being awarded with the Outstanding Safety Award for 2020. As the world’s most respected authority on the inspection and cleaning of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, NADCA presents its’ Safety Awards to contractors who have shown a verifiable commitment to employee, customer and community safety throughout the year. The criteria for NADCA’s Safety Awards are based on regulations and recommendations from the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). Once more we are proud to provide the message, that safety is of paramount importance for Airtek Indoor Air Solutions or any of the companies in the Alliance portfolio and we will continue to adhere the proper guidelines when delivering our company services.
Planning to Reopen
Safely Returning to Business and Facility Operation
As businesses continue to reopen in various phases, moving down from tiers, it is essential to create the safest possible indoor environment for employees and customers due to the continued concerns around the spread of coronavirus.
Operations can soon commence to our pre-pandemic lifestyle, including in-person schooling at all levels and grades, indoor restaurant dining, reopening of beauty salons and fitness centers, movie theaters reopening, theme parks as entertainment venues allowing guests back and a possibility that is within the horizon.
Since March 2020, many buildings and facilities have either been empty or minimally occupied. Many offices, workplaces, businesses, schools, and universities face the continued challenge of reopening safely and minimizing coronavirus risk to employees, customers, students, and staff.
Some buildings have sat empty for several months, so there may be concerns about indoor exposure to mold and the potential health risks and allergic reactions it poses. Mold can grow on almost any organic substance, provided moisture and oxygen are present.
Some of the causes can be tied to poor air circulation while buildings are shuttered, condensation buildup in air handling systems and even rooms left dark in hotter months.
Alliance Environmental Group has put together an in-depth guide in providing best practices, protocols, and guidelines to allow for a safe return to reopening.
Contact us at 1-(877) 858-6220 to schedule
an appointment or request an estimate.
Fire door Inspections and Cleaning
Fire door assemblies are critical components to protecting occupants and buildings during a fire event. They may be less discussed than more commonly recognized building fire protection systems such as automatic sprinklers, fire alarms, and smoke detectors. Still, if installed and maintained correctly, fire doors will keep the fire contained to the area of the building in which it started, allowing occupants more time to move to the point of safety quickly while simultaneously protecting other areas of your facility from fire spread.
Over time, fire doors can be subjected to significant wear and tear. While considered passive fire protection systems, fire doors, depending on their location, may open and close hundreds of times per day for necessary building operations and movement. Thus, facility personnel plays such a critical role in ensuring that fire doors are maintained in good working conditions after installation. Ongoing scrutiny by the facility manager ensures that wear and tear on fire doors do not lead to unsafe breaks or damage. At the very least, it provides building personnel with the best opportunity to identify where repairs or replacements are needed.
NFPA 80 Standard on Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives requires a visual inspection and operational testing of fire doors at any of the following times: upon completion of installation of the new fire door assembly, annually as part of the required periodic inspection, and after any maintenance corrections have been performed on the door assembly. To complete a visual inspection, a list of 13 items, at a minimum, must be verified. At the time of the check, fire doors should also be tested to ensure that they will operate properly. The inspection entails verification that the door is self-closing and self-latching without encountering any obstructions. If a fire door is power-operated or automatic-closing, it should also be verified that the door self-closes by all means of activation.
Safety begins with facility managers or designated safety personnel overseeing and scheduling the necessary inspections and ensuring that any deficiencies and maintenance issues are corrected promptly. It is also the responsibility of building staff to hire external contractors qualified to do general maintenance of fire doors within their facility.
Coast IAQ and Life Safety services can assist in keeping your healthcare facility prepared for a Fire.
Commercial Air Duct Cleaning Leads to an Improvement in Indoor Air Quality
The air duct systems in any building provide an essential function as they serve as the “lungs” of the building—taking air in and releasing air out. The circulation of air through the heating and cooling system allows for consistent interior comfort regardless of the season. The same air that is being circulated through the system is the same air that is being breathed in, which is why it is essential to keep the system as clean as possible.
One of our premier commercial construction clients performed a complete renovation project on the top floor of a 12 story building in the San Diego area. Recognizing that indoor air quality is an essential factor in completing the project and providing the space with the best air quality possible, they reached out to AirTek Indoor Air Solutions to perform a complete air system cleaning.
With state-of-the-art equipment and trained personnel, AirTek was able to complete the cleaning within two days. Steps were taken to ensure the protection of existing office furniture and supplies by adequately setting up containment in every workspace. AirTek was able to clean the entire system by breaking it down into segments, starting from one end of the building and ending on the opposite side. To completely clean the system, access points were created and then later properly sealed once finished. Throughout the project, we worked closely with our client to perform the job to their expectation while aligning with NADCA standards. After completing the entire system clean, the client was confident that the system would operate at its peak performance, providing the best indoor air quality for the future occupants.
Mintie ECU4 Corridor Flange assists with Surge Capacity during Pandemic
BY MINTIE LLC.
Healthcare facilities need to respond to potential circumstances of mass isolation surge capacity quickly and safely. A flexible solution to accommodate these unpredictable demands and needs is essential, especially given the current, fixed infrastructures of many hospitals and care facilities.
A potential pandemic or large-scale disease outbreak requires hospitals to establish isolation areas where any virus can be fully contained. Physical barriers and a negative pressure system prevent airborne illnesses from spreading through heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems.
Mintie, LLC. is a worldwide leader in the manufacturing, distribution, and deployment of environmental containment units (ECU), which allow the creation of collapsible, portable, and modular containment units or temporary isolation spaces. The latest model, the ECU4, stores easily and can scale rapidly to accommodate large numbers of people or cover large areas, including a hospital floor or wing with the corridor flange’s addition. The innovative design meets all ICRA containment requirement levels 1-4 and has been clinically tested and evaluated for efficacy of particle containment, ventilation, and stability.
Contact Mintie for a contingency plan for pandemic surge capacity to assist with mass isolation and further stop the surge of Covid-19 infections at hospitals.
Striving for Total Client Satisfaction
“My pest control company uses Alliance Environmental as a sub-contractor to remove attic insulation, sanitizer and replace the insulation with a boric acid component that is a non-toxic anti-pest product. I had this work done today, and I can’t say enough positive about the crew and the work. I have never had any crew protect my home as carefully as Ethan and Ryan did. Clean plastic sheeting was laid out through my entrance, up the stairs, along the walls, and the upstairs doors. They were courteous, respectful, very competent, professional. “
The entire job was – Vivienne B.